The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) spent more than $14.5 million on travel in 2023 and 2024, even as student achievement in grades 3 through 8 remained at crisis levels. An internal audit revealed significant increases in airfare, lodging, and out-of-town trips for staff and students, more than doubling since the last full pre-COVID school year.
The CPS Office of Inspector General found widespread failures in the district’s travel approval process. One vendor received over $142,000 for trips to Finland, Estonia, Egypt, and South Africa—13 of those 15 trips were taken without the proper pre-approval. In another case, a school principal extended an unapproved Las Vegas trip with two extra nights, spending more than $400 per night in taxpayer funds.
These expenditures occurred as academic results in the district continued to deteriorate. Only 30.5 percent of students in grades 3 through 8 met reading proficiency standards. In math, the figure dropped even lower, with just 18.5 percent meeting expectations.
Critics point to a deep failure in district leadership, calling CPS “one of the worst-run in the country.” The travel spending comes at a time when classroom resources, teacher support, and basic academic interventions are critically needed. Instead, millions were directed toward non-essential travel and lavish accommodations.
This pattern of waste underscores a severe misalignment of priorities in one of the nation’s largest public school systems. With academic results at historic lows and travel costs at record highs, the need for transparent fiscal accountability and a return to core educational responsibilities is urgent.
